About ten years ago following a consultation with a doctor, I got diagnosed as having "treatment resistant depression." I gather this is maybe not the most broadly accepted terminology out there, but having tried out a few SSRIs and an SNRI (and multiple therapists) to absolutely no results or worse, I've come to respect it as the only diagnosis that makes any sense to me, and accurately describes the situation.
Anyway, I'm still here and still not on any kind of meds. I get a lot of exercise and have a physically active job that keeps me off the computer/phone for long stretches of time, get lots of sleep (always been great at sleeping), try to eat decently, cut back on drinking, do wholesome activities with others, see friends when I can, etc. I'm sure I would be doing a lot worse if I wasn't doing all those things, but I'm always looking for ways to make life more bearable.
So I guess I'm wondering: chronic depression havers of hexbear whomst are not on meds for whatever reason, what are your strategies for gettin' by? (Or if you are on meds but don't find them sufficient as a sole strategy I guess.) Much love to you all and here's to getting through a lot more years.
in the same boat. it sounds like you're handling it better than me lol so I don't know if I have much advice. i haven't adapted many healthy strategies. I've found weed is good because I'm also an alcoholic so it's a harm reduction thing, but building a heavy dependency is still to be avoided, been there for a few years and it really sucks. i did DBT and it helped me a lot with other emotional problems and I rely less on harmful coping mechanisms now. depression is still there and my main problem but having those other weights off helped. i think you named a lot of the most important things already like trying to push yourself to exercise, eat well, socialise, etc it really is the basics that will give the most reward. I struggled with them this year but gonna keep at it. im also autistic and it makes it harder because some things that work for the depression can make the autistic burnout worse, like forcing oneself to do things or whatever can make burnout worse while it could help if it was just depression. so it's a balancing act.